Remember these Miami hotels? See the changes through the years
Nothing stays the same at Miami's luxury hotels.
The iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach is adding a five-story convention center and has previously revamped its pool area and towers while preserving its signature MiMo curves.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne is closed for a $100 million renovation, planning to upgrade guest rooms, restaurants and the spa while keeping its unique mix of condos and resort accommodations.
Meanwhile, the Mandarin Oriental will be torn down and replaced by new condo and resort towers, marking the end of an era.
Up the coast, Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles Beach has gained national acclaim, winning major awards for its Mediterranean villa style and high-end service.
The Fontainebleau Hotel rises at the former Firestone Estate, Miami Beach. In 1954 photo, the old Harvey Firestone home is still standing in the shadow of the new $14 million building. The magnate's estate eventually gave way to a swimming pool and landscaped gardens patterned after Versailles.
NO. 1: MIAMI BEACH'S FONTAINEBLEAU LOOKED LIKE THAT? SEE HOW THE LANDMARK HOTEL HAS CHANGED
The lobby. The pool area. The curves. Wow. | Published July 5, 2024 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archive
Open to Beach and Sea at Acqualina
NO. 2: THIS RESORT NEAR MIAMI BEACH WAS AWARDED BEST WATERFRONT HOTEL, BEATING OUT HAWAII
See which Miami-Dade County luxury hotel wins new international competition. | Published March 28, 2024 | Read Full Story by Vinod Sreeharsha
Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Miami
NO. 3: SEE CELEBRITIES AND GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT THIS MIAMI LUXURY HOTEL THAT IS DISAPPEARING
Actors promoted their movies here. | Published December 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives
Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne to close in May as owner, developer Gencom, starts renovation. More than 400 employees will be laid off.
NO. 4: WHAT WILL RITZ-CARLTON KEY BISCAYNE LOOK LIKE AFTER A $100M REDO? SEE THE PLANS
When will it open? What will be new? | Published May 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Vinod Sreeharsha
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
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National Geographic
28 minutes ago
- National Geographic
Why you should visit these 5 European lakes
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). As the summer heat rises along the coast of the Med, turn your gaze instead to Europe's dazzlingly diverse array of lakes. Beyond swimming, kayaking and standup paddleboarding in crystal-clear waters, there's plenty to explore — think medieval castles and vineyards, prehistoric pile dwellings and Byzantine monasteries, regal gardens, cathedrals and Orthodox churches. From Portugal's Great Lake of Alqueva to Croatia's Lake Peruča, here are five European lakes that should be firmly on your radar. 1. Lake Constance, Germany Fancy breakfast in Germany, lunch in Austria and dinner in Switzerland? With uplifting views of the not-too-distant Alps, Lake Constance dips prettily into three countries and delivers an extraordinary hit of beauty, history and culture. Central Europe's third largest lake is a knockout, whether you want to breeze across its waters by ferry or canoe, or jump onto a bicycle to pedal a stretch of its 160-mile circular cycle path. And with temperatures hovering around 25C, it's pleasantly warm, but not too hot for exploring. This lake is like Europe in microcosm, knitting together beaches, orchards, vineyards, bird-rich wetlands, wooded gorges, gardens, historic towns and art galleries. You won't forget the likes of stone-walled Meersburg, with its fairytale looks, wine taverns and turreted medieval castle; the prehistoric pile dwellings of Unteruhldingen; Roman-rooted Konstanz with its magnificent minster; or the fantasy Mediterranean gardens on the islet of Mainau in a hurry. For southern flair, head over to prettily pastel-painted Lindau for gelato on cafe terraces and glittering lake views from the harbour guarded by a lighthouse and Bavarian lion. Lake Constance is like Europe in microcosm, knitting together beaches, orchards, vineyards, bird-rich wetlands, wooded gorges, gardens, historic towns and art galleries. Photograph by bluejayphoto, Getty Images 2. Great Lake of Alqueva, Portugal Skip southern Portugal's wave-smashed Atlantic coast in summer and head to the Alentejo, where its vast hinterland is ripe for discovery. A mighty splash of green blue, the fjord-like 95sq-mile Great Lake of Alqueva is a beauty. Nudging the Spanish border, Europe's biggest reservoir is a fretwork of flooded valleys, narrow inlets and islands. Come in summer to standup paddleboard and kayak across placid waters in quiet exhilaration and roll along its shores by bike or e-bike. When temperatures reach 35C in summer, you'll be itching to dive into its refreshing waters from lakeside beaches. Top billing goes to Praia Fluvial de Monsaraz, with its powdery sands, floating pool and Centro Naútico ramping up the watersports action. Spilling photogenically down a granite boulder-strewn hillside, Monsaraz itself is right up there with Portugal's prettiest villages. A medieval vision in white, it's crowned by a castle built by King Dinis in the 14th century and laced with cobbled alleys once trodden by the Knights Templar. Snag a table on the terrace of Taverna Os Templários for front-row views of the lake and specialities like codfish salad and Alentejo roast pork. By night, keep your eyes on starry skies. The Alqueva Dark Sky Reserve is the world's first starlight tourism destination, with activities ranging from stargazing sessions to night tours by canoe and astrophotography workshops. Lake Bohinj is a half-hour skip from Lake Bled, just as crazily beautiful but not nearly as crowded. Photograph by Micolino, Getty Images 3. Lake Bohinj, Slovenia Lake Bled gets all the love in northwest Slovenia, but Lake Bohinj, a half-hour skip south, is just as crazily beautiful and not nearly as crowded. You'll draw breath when you first glimpse the ragged limestone peaks of the Julian Alps punching high above this piercing blue, glass-clear lake in Triglav National Park. Temperatures can rise to 30C in summer, when the lake's mountain stream-fed waters warm up to 24C, and days fizzle into fiery pink-gold sunsets. On the lake's western shore, the peaceful village of Ukanc has a pebble beach for cooling swims. Pitch a tent at eco-conscious Camp Bohinj, where you can head out onto the water by kayak, stand-up paddleboard or canoe. They also arrange activities from caving, canyoning and rock climbing to cheese tours and schnapps tastings. Ukanc's surrounds are wild, mountainous and thickly wooded. A cable glides up to nearby Vogel for on-high views of the lake and hikes in Alpine meadows and virgin forests. Shooting 255ft over the cliffs of Komarča into a pool of pure emerald green, Savica Waterfall is equally unmissable. 4. Lake Peruča, Croatia Framed by a ripple of limestone mountains, Lake Peruča is a treasure tucked away in the Dalmatian Hinterland. Just a stone's skim from Croatia's Adriatic coast, this long slither of a lake is a proper back-to-nature escape. Here you can easily tiptoe away from the crowds in the heat of summer, when temperatures soar up to 35C, to leap gleefully into waters of stained-glass blue. Shaped by a dam on the River Cetina, Croatia's largest artificial lake is a great one for cycling, hiking, kayaking or boating to quiet beaches and coves. On the northern shores, the sleepy stone-built hamlet of Garjak makes a fine base, with arresting views of the rugged Dinara and Svilaja mountains and lake — never lovelier than in the hush of early morning when its turquoise waters are as still as a mill pond. Fringed by forest and pale-sand beaches, Camping Peruca gets you out, under and around the lake, with activities from rowing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding and diving to horse-riding and mountain biking. Stray slightly north to see the natural wonder that is the Eye of the Earth (Izvor Cetine), a jewel-like, circular karst spring that is the source of the River Cetina. Snuggled between the mountains of North Macedonia and eastern Albania, the green-blue Lake Ohrid is among Europe's oldest and deepest. Photograph by Plamen Mihaylov, Getty Images 5. Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia If you haven't heard of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lake Ohrid, you're not alone, but you are missing a trick. Snuggled between the mountains of North Macedonia and eastern Albania, this green-blue lake is among Europe's oldest and deepest. Summer tempts with dips in translucent waters, picnics on east-shore pebble beaches like Potpesh and Labino, and the kind of pink-purple sunsets that stir the soul. On the north shore, Ohrid is an enticing place to kick off a spin of the lake, with a cliff-hugging boardwalk unfurling to rocky beaches and a steep, warm-stone old town where cobbled alleys lead to Orthodox churches and a ruined medieval fort. Seafront restaurants pair local specialities like fish soup prepared with lake trout, lemon and garlic with Macedonian wines. Beyond Ohrid, you'll be seduced by cultural big-hitters like domed, Byzantine-style, fresco-filled Sveti Naum monastery, high atop a cliff, and the reconstructed Bronze and Iron Age pile dwellings of the Bay of Bones. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).


New York Post
16 hours ago
- New York Post
Top travel destination wages weird war against so-called ‘indecent' swimwear — but it's not bikinis they're mad about
Everybody out! A top Mediterranean beach destination is blowing the whistle on an 'indecent' form of swimwear — claiming that the allegedly revealing style favored by tourists 'disturbs the population.' But in the North African resort of Chetaïbi, Algeria, known for turquoise waters, rocky coves and forested hills, it's not women in skimpy bikinis that have local officials crying out for a cover-up. Advertisement 3 Chetaïbi is known for its turquoise waters, rocky coves and forested hills. Billal Bensalem/NurPhoto via Getty Images This time, it's the men who have been found guilty of inflaming the passions of the purportedly prudish populace — with their apparent affinity for Bermuda shorts. The town's mayor issued an order banning male beachgoers from wearing the tempting trunks — mandating a return to the longer, looser style said to be preferred by conservative beachgoers in this part of the world. Advertisement The municipality of 8,000 residents welcomes hordes of visitors every summer — tourism being an important part of the local economy. 'The mood is warm, welcoming, colorful, bustling — no hostility toward bathers, not in words, not in looks. People here have a tradition of hospitality,' Salah Edine Bey, a longtime resident, told the Associated Press. There was never much controversy — until earlier this month, when Mayor Layachi Allaoua had apparently, very literally, seen enough. 3 The town's mayor issued an order that bans beachgoers from wearing Bermuda shorts. AP Advertisement 'These summer outfits disturb the population, they go against our society's moral values and sense of decency,' the hot-and-bothered Hizzoner announced, per AP. 'The population can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing,' he said. The proclamation immediately sparked considerable local backlash — including in the regional capital Annaba, where lawmakers urged a reversal of the decision. 3 Chetaïbi is on Algeria's Mediterranean coastline. Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Corbis via Getty Images Advertisement Within just two days, the mayor backtracked — taking to Facebook to insist that the decree was not driven by conservative pressure, but rather a hope to preserve 'peace and tranquility.' Algeria has struggled with Islamism for decades. The country endured a civil war that killed an estimated 200,000 people. In 1991, the army canceled elections that were going to be won by an Islamist party. 'Even though Islamists lost the war in the 1990s, they never gave up on their invasive and intrusive ideological project, which has gained ground in society,' sociologist Redouane Boudjemaâ told the AP. For some people, this order on men's swimwear reminded them of the times when Islamist-run municipalities tried to alter the public life in Algeria with its religious doctrine. While Islamist parties don't do well in elections, they still play a role in Algerian daily life. Said Boukhlifa, a former senior official at the Ministry of Tourism, warned against conservative creep — saying it could ultimately hurt the country's hopes to attract more vacationers to its shores.


Hamilton Spectator
19 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
This restaurant chain took a gamble on bitcoin to combat inflation. Here's what happened
Five years ago, when the world was gripped by the uncertainty of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , the founders of Tahini's, a Canadian fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain, took an unusual gamble. Co-founders and brothers Omar and Aly Hamam took Tahini's cash reserves and invested in cryptocurrency bitcoin. It was a prescient move. Since March 2020, bitcoin's price has risen from around $5,200 (U.S.) to just under $120,000 (U.S.). When they first started buying bitcoin, Tahini's CEO Omar Hamam says he was thinking, 'the government's printing money left, right and centre … it's just a matter of time before the inflation hits.' The brothers and their cousin and business partner, Ahmed Dessouki, considered investing in gold at first, but chose bitcoin in the end to hedge against inflation . 'It is volatile, absolutely. But in the long run, you make more money than anything else,' Hamam said about investing in the cryptocurrency, noting there were months at a time when he was worried about having done so. 'I saw (bitcoin's value) go down and I'm like, 'oh my god, is that a good decision?'' Now, Hamam says he sees bitcoin as the natural 'evolution of money.' 'Inflation is affecting everyone, and I feel like the only thing to fight it is bitcoin,' he said. Both Hamam and Henry Kim, director of the at York University's Schulich's School of Business, agree bitcoin has recently come to be seen as a more conventional investment, especially as U.S. lawmakers have become more accepting of cryptocurrencies under President Donald Trump . Though investing in bitcoin has gained popularity, the practice of businesses treating it as a treasury reserve asset, as Tahini's has, is 'still a minority thing to do, and also quite speculative,' said Kim. Bitcoin 'behaves a lot like gold,' but 'on more steroids,' Kim explained. 'If (the value of) gold goes up, oftentimes bitcoin goes up even more.' Bitcoin's value fluctuates though, and it was significantly cheaper during the pandemic than it is right now. According to CoinMarketCap , the cryptocurrency's market cap currently sits at $2.36 trillion. That Tahini's has seen success in bitcoin is 'great,' but all it means is that Hamam 'was a great investor,' said Kim. 'There's a bubble in there, and some people that are forming bitcoin treasuries right now will probably get hurt.' Paul Pincente, vice-president of digital assets at Purpose Investments, has a slightly more optimistic view. 'Responsibly contributing what your business can afford — not going overboard — it's a fantastic strategy,' said Pincente. He acknowledged that investing in bitcoin can be daunting for the non-tech savvy, but said doing so through an exchange-traded fund is one way to get around that. For those considering investing in bitcoin, education, patience and 'knowing that there are other options to exposure that aren't as risky from a loss perspective' is important, said Pincente. In Tahini's case, its reserve hasn't been dipped into yet. 'We've been saving it for a rainy day,' said Hamam. But when the time comes, 'it's good to know that we have that money in the bank accounts. It makes us feel confident.'